Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gold Hill, Oregon 97525
Thursday, February 24, 1994 8:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE SPRAYING HERBICIDE THE HELICOPTER BEGAN LOSING POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A LANDING IN A CLEARING DURING WHICH A TOTAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE HELICOPTER THEN DESCENDED VERTICALLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET BEFORE LANDING HARD. POST CRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL LINE CROSSOVER 'T' FITTING WHICH ROUTES FUEL FROM THE FUEL TANKS TO THE GASCOLATOR AND ENGINE HAD SEPARATED AT ITS WELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SEPARATION OF THE CROSSOVER FUEL LINE, AND THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN A PROPER RATE OF DESCENT DURING THE AUTOROTATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/24/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GOLD HILL
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97525
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID MFR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1331
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 432
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 24 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73909
NTSB Number SEA94LA065
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G-3B-1
Aircraft Serial Number 2797
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 28 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 275
Airframe Hours 6176
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OWEN, KENNETH & CONNIE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12155 HIGHWAY 140
Aircraft Owner City EAGLE POINT
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97524
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PACIFIC AIR RESEARCH, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 699
Operator City MEDFORD
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97501
Operator Code NKPG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --